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Explore Buffalo is excited to offer another year of the Buffalo Architecture Course and Adventures in Buffalo History Fall Speaker Series!

FALL 2017 ARCHITECTURE COURSE: BUFFALO INTERIORS 1017 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24Meet: Explore Buffalo’s headquarters in First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo (across from Kleinhans Music Hall). Parking is available in the church lot, which can be accessed from Pennsylvania Street, or on any surrounding side streets.Cost: General $40, Student $35, Explorer Pass $35

Deepen your knowledge of architecture and all things Buffalo with this informational course led by Explore Buffalo’s Board President Chuck LaChiusa. By popular request from last year’s architecture course, this year the emphasis will be on the interiors of a number of Buffalo’s most spectacular buildings — especially houses.

Expect “oohs” and “aahs” as LaChiusa illustrates examples of various revival styles using some of the hundreds of photos available on his website, “Buffalo Architecture and History” (BuffaloAH.com). Different revival styles, including the ever-popular Colonial Revival, Art Deco and Neoclassical, will be featured in each class.

Join Explore Buffalo for this four-week course and get ready to immerse yourself inside Buffalo’s impressive buildings! Please note that this course can only be purchased as a whole.

ADVENTURES IN BUFFALO HISTORY FALL SPEAKER SERIES7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, 19, Nov. 2, 16Meet: Explore Buffalo’s headquarters in First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo (across from Kleinhans Music Hall). Parking is available in the church lot, which can be accessed from Pennsylvania Street, or on any surrounding side streets.Cost: General $10, Explorer Pass Free

This speaker series features different Explore Buffalo docents presenting lectures on a wide variety of topics. Each session will feature two different lectures.

Session 1: “Get to Buffalo Architecture”Thursday, Oct. 5TOP TEN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURESOne reason that Buffalo’s architecture is so appealing is that it’s loaded with ornamentation – especially Classical ornamentation derived from Greece and Rome. Join Explore Buffalo for this talk where you’ll learn the top 10 most frequently used decorations. Once you know these, no matter where you travel in the Western World you’ll be an architectural “expert.” This talk features many examples derived from the Illustrated Dictionary on the website Buffalo Architecture and History (BuffaloAH.com).

GORDON BUNSHAFT: HIS LIFE AND ARCHITECTURAL ACHIEVEMENTGordon Bunshaft was born in 1909 to Russian Jewish immigrants on the Lower East Side of Buffalo. His childhood and adolescence in Buffalo left profound marks on his future life and career. In 1988, Bunshaft won the Pritzker Prize, equivalent to the Nobel Prize, for his “rational” and “powerful” stance on architecture. He took the Modernist principles first set forth by Mies Van der Rohe, LeCorbusier and Walter Gropius to build a career in which delicate, elegant and accurate were the norms and not the exceptions. Gordon Bunshaft is critical to the architectural development of this nation, and in turn, this city.

Session 2: “Spirits of Buffalo”Thursday, Oct. 19SPIRITUALISM IN WNYMany Buffalonians are familiar with Lily Dale, but fewer of us know that spiritualism actually has a long and rich history in Western New York. Join Explore Buffalo for this interesting talk which will introduce the concept of spiritualism and its development in the United States before delving into its history here in WNY. You’ll learn about famous locals such as the Fox sisters and the Davenport brothers, along with others who influenced the practice of spiritualism in this area. The talk will include information about Lily Dale and its place as the center of spiritualism in the United States, as well as various other local places where spiritualist events have occurred. Finally, we’ll discuss where spiritualism fits in with today’s social fabric.

BUFFALO’S MOST HAUNTEDBuffalo has a long history and many fascinating ghost stories to go along with it. Get ready to get spooked during this talk that will uncover some of the most haunted buildings in Buffalo. You’ll learn the histories of these buildings as well as the stories of the spirits that roam their halls.

Session 4: “Eat, Drink & Be Merry in WNY”Thursday, Nov. 16A BUFFALO CULINARY JOURNEYFood is something that Buffalonians are proud to embrace and boast about. From chicken wings and beef on weck to food festivals that celebrate our immigrant roots, Buffalo has a wonderful culinary heritage. Join Explore Buffalo for this talk where you’ll take a look into the history of the various foods created and celebrated throughout Buffalo’s delicious history.

BEERFFALO: THE ALES & TALES OF BUFFALOBuffalonians have been enjoying the taste of locally made beer since before the War of 1812. With a brewing resurgence in full force today and all the micro-breweries finding homes in the city, it’s a perfect moment to reflect on Buffalo’s brewing past. In this talk, you’ll explore Buffalo’s rich brewing history and culture, as well as the amazing renaissance that is ongoing today.